Side Guards on Truck Trailers Can Save Lives

Earlier this month, the Today Show on NBC ran a segment on the growing concerns of side underride collisions, which are the collisions that happen when a car crashes into the side of a truck and goes underneath the trailer. These truck accidents have devastating results as over 200 people die from this type of accident every year.

These are often fatal car accidents because when a vehicle crashes into the side of the trailer, the vehicle crashes through to the backseat, if not going all the way under the trailer. One safety measure that has been proposed, and has the potential to save lives, is side guards for trailers. These type of guards have been used on most truck trailers in Europe since 1989 and can provide significant safety to prevent catastrophic injuries from side impacts.

The department of transportation has been considering mandatory side guards since the 1960s. In 2014, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) require that newly manufactured trailers be equipped with side underride protection systems. The NTSB cited a study that side guards could prevent 89 percent of injuries by using side underride guards.

Unfortunately, because of politics and lobbying from the trucking industry, side guards are still not mandatory, even though the NTSB has recommended them. Although cities like Boston and San Francisco have started mandating side guards on trucks they purchase, in an effort to provide safer trucks on the roads.

With the busy highways and roadways around the Atlanta metro area, our car and truck accident attorneys want to remind all residents to take extra care when driving on the highway and practice safe driving techniques to avoid deadly collisions like these. Some safety tips to keep in mind include:

Always scan the road ahead

Don’t rely solely on your mirrors

Drive extra cautiously at night

Drive with hands in the 9 and 3 o’clock position

Make sure your car is properly maintained

Watch the drivers around you

Know what your car can handle

If you or someone you love has been injured by a collision with the side of a truck trailer or any other auto accident, contact our experienced attorney at Watkins, Lourie, Roll & Chance at 404-760-7400 today to schedule your complimentary consultation. We proudly serve the areas of Atlanta, Savannah, Columbus, Decatur, and Augusta, Georgia and will fight to get you the justice you deserve.